Dental tray

Abstract

A dental tray of a shape suitable for direct contact with the mucosal surface of the mouth and capable of retaining an impression making material thereon comprising a thermoplastic resin material transparent to activating light energy radiation and which is softenable at a temperature ranging from 40°-70° C.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A dental tray of a shape suitable for direct contact with the mucosal surface of the mouth and capable of retaining an impression making material thereon, comprising: a thermoplastic resin material transparent to activating light energy radiation and which is softenable at a temperature ranging from 40°-70° C.   
     
     
       2. The dental tray of claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic resin material is polystyrene, a polystyrene derivative, poly(meth)acrylate, a poly(meth)acrylate derivative, polytetrafluoroethylene, a derivative of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylfluoride, a derivative of polyvinylfluoride, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, a derivative of polychlorotrifluoroethylene, polybutadiene, a derivative of polybutadiene, polyisoprene, a derivative of polyisoprene, polyurethane, a derivative of polyurethane or an ethylene copolymers. 
     
     
       3. The dental tray of claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic resin material is an ionomer resin of an ethylene copolymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene/acrylic acid copolymers, ethylene/methacrylic acid copolymers, ethylene/itaconic acid copolymers, ethylene/methyl maleate copolymers, ethylene/maleic acid copolymers, ethylene/acrylic acid/methyl methacrylate copolymers, ethylene/methacrylic acid/ethyl acrylate copolymers, ethylene/itaconic acid/methyl methacrylate copolymers, ethylene/methyl maleate/ethyl acrylate copolymers, ethylene/methacrylic acid/vinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene/acrylic acid/vinyl alcohol copolymers, ethylene/propylene/acrylic acid copolymers, ethylene/styrene/acrylic acid copolymers, ethylene/methacrylic acid/acrylonitrile copolymers, ethylene/fumaric acid/vinyl methyl ether copolymers, ethylene/vinyl chloride/acrylic acid copolymers, ethylene/vinylidene chloride/acrylic acid copolymers, ethylene/vinyl fluoride/methacrylic acid copolymers, ethylene/chlorotrifluoroethylene/methacrylic acid copolymers, wherein the metal ion reacted with said copolymer to form said ionomer resin is a metal selected from the group consisting of Na + , K + , Li + , Cs + , Ag + , Cu + , Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Sr 2+ , Ba 2+ , Cu 2+ , Sn 2+ , Fe 2+ , Ni 2+ , Zn 2+ , Al 3+ , Sc 3+ , Fe 3+ , or Yt 3+ . 
     
     
       4. The dental tray of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic resin material of said tray contains a filler in an amount up to less than 70 wt. % based on the total weight of the dental tray. 
     
     
       5. The dental tray of claim 4, wherein said filler is calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, zirconium silicate, aluminum silicate, silica, a MMA polymer, a polyvinylchloride powder, alumina, glass, kaolin, anhydrous silicic acid or hydrous silicic acid.